Strengthening Islamic Literacy for Female Students Thru the Halaqah Program: Implementation of Community Service at the Anshor Al-Sunnah Islamic Boarding School in Air Tiris

Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) play a pivotal role in cultivating a generation that is intellectually competent, morally upright, and competitive in facing the challenges of globalisation. The reinforcement of Islamic literacy represents a vital endeavour to sustain the relevance of pesantren as Islamic educational institutions capable of adapting to contemporary developments. This study aims to elaborate on the implementation of the halaqah programme as a means of strengthening the Islamic literacy of female students (santriwati) through the Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN) community engagement project at Pondok Pesantren Anshor Al-Sunnah, Air Tiris, Kampar, Riau. The research employed a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach. Initial observations revealed that routine halaqah activities conducted after the dawn (Subuh) and evening (Maghrib) prayers were not yet optimal, primarily due to the limited number of mentors (musyrifah). This constraint affected students’ memorisation progress, fluency in Qur’anic recitation, and application of tajwīd principles. In response, the KKN students collaboratively designed a structured halaqah programme through four stages: needs assessment, joint curriculum design with instructors, intensive facilitation, and evaluation. The sessions focused on new memorisation in the morning and murāja‘ah (revision) in the evening. Findings indicated substantial improvements in memorisation quality, self-discipline, motivation, and the learning environment. The participants expressed that consistent guidance and supervision significantly enhanced both the quantity and quality of their memorisation, as well as their command of tajwīd. Consequently, this halaqah-based PAR programme serves as a sustainable model for enhancing Islamic literacy and supports the pesantren’s vision of nurturing a Qur’anic generation that is fluent, disciplined, and rooted in Islamic values.